


Kuro no Fuyu

by ColhanTheDeviant



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Hypothermia, Love Confessions, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-02-01
Updated: 2005-02-01
Packaged: 2018-07-15 10:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7218661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColhanTheDeviant/pseuds/ColhanTheDeviant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A battle with Kagura splits up the group, and leaves Inuyasha and Kagome in a blizzard. Inuyasha, now seriously injured from battle, human and hypotherima setting in can Kagome save him? Sequel to my story Shiori no Yoru.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Bleak Situation

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to my story Shiori no Yoru.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/7218511
> 
> Blanket Scenario is a old term for a fanfic where characters end up in a situation where they are trapped in a snow storm and one character cares for another who falls victim to the cold temperatures.

Inuyasha grimaced, clutching his side were a wound was bleeding freely; other cuts were on his body. He shielded his eyes from the blowing wind and snow with his hands as best he could and tried to see through the snow blowing around him, behind him a dark haired girl carrying a large yellow back pack stood, hoping to find a shelter of some kind before the blizzard got any worst. Kagome looked at the wound on Inuyasha's side and then to his face which was becoming pale, from lose of blood, the cold or both. Kagome sighed remembering what had gotten them into the current situation, Kagura the wind sorceress had attacked them, and unlike the other times they had fought her the battle had turned from them winning to them losing with a very bad turn out.

**Flashback**

__

Kagome laid in her sleeping bag trying to fall asleep, little Shippo was curled up next to her. In the corner of the room the monk Miroku slept sitting up with his back on the wall and his staff resting on his shoulder, the demon slayer Sango was asleep in the opposite corner as far away from the groping monk as she could, her demon fire cat Kirara curled up next to her. By the door sitting up with the Tetsaiga laying on his shoulder was the Hanyou Inuyasha, he was sleeping but was awake enough to where if something attacked he could jump up ready to fight.

__

She sighed turned on to her back looking at the ceiling of the hut, it was lucky they had found it, Kagome wasn't in the mood to sleep on the hard ground after lugging that heavy back pack all day. Everyone had been so drained from the long walk and grueling pace that Inuyasha had made them walk that day that they had taken to their beds a little early she sighed and shivered as the cold from outside blew in from the creaks of the huts walls, she hated winter out of all four seasons.

__

Spring was the season of flowers and cool breezes, Summer was warm days and nice weather nearly everyday and no school, Fall was a little cold but the beauty of the yellow, red, orange and brown leaves made up for it. But cold depressing winter was full of ice and cold snow, while it was nice to watch the snow fall from the inside of the house and see it shimmer in the sunlight. Kagome wished it could be less freezing.

__

Suddenly she heard Inuyasha jump up from his place near the door; Kagome sat up and looked over at him. He was sniffing the air trying to identify whatever had woken him, he growled. "Inuyasha?" she asked getting out of the bag waking Shippo in the process, "I smell Naraku's scent" he said unsheathing his sword and running outside. Kagome quickly grabbed her bow and arrows and woke Sango and Miroku. They ran outside to see Kagura fly over to them on her feather, at least it wasn't Naraku. Kagura and Kanna having Naraku's scent made it hard to tell if it was Naraku coming or one of his incarnations.

__

Kagura landed and the feather returned to her hair, she opened her fan and smiled wickedly at the group. "So what do we have hear?" she asked fanning her face softly with her fan, "What do you want Kagura?" Inuyasha growled holding his sword out in front of him in a menacing way, Miroku had his staff at the ready as did Sango with her bone boomerang, Kirara was transformed and Shippo was hiding in a nearby tree out of harms way. "I come with a warning from Naraku" she said and lifted her fan in the air, Inuyasha charged at her but she threw her fan down "DANCE OF BLADES!".

__

Her wind blades slammed into him cutting into his flesh and throwing him into the old hut, the hut fell apart on top of him on contact burying him in rotten wood. "Inuyasha!" Kagome called, the Hanyou pulled himself out of the pile of wood and yanked his sword out as well, before he could move he fell to his knees. Kagome saw the rips from the wind blades in the fire rat robe, blood was starting to ooze from the cuts, but the wound he was clutching was what worried her. In his side was a large piece of wood that had stabbed into him when he was buried, the wood was already beginning to be colored red from blood.

Miroku and Sango came at her next with Kirara ahead of them Kagura laughed and brought her fan down again, the winded circled forming a giant tornado. Kagura took her feather out and flew into the air away from the tornado, "His warning is to give up the shards you have, or DIE!" said say laughing and flying away. Shippo ran down from the tree and to Kagome who scooped him up in her arms, Kagome felt strong arms wrap around her and push her to the ground to cover her from flying rocks and up rooted trees. Kagome looked to see claws on the hands of who was holding her Inuyasha , "EVRYONE GET AWAY FROM THAT THING!" Inuyasha yelled through the wind howling from the tornado.

__

Sango climbed onto Kirara and helped Miroku on before flying into the air, Inuyasha picked up Kagome and ran as fast has his demon speed would allow him. But the tornado was faster and grabbed Sango, Miroku and Kirara first in its winds before ripping Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo from the ground. Kagome cling to Inuyasha and held little Shippo close, Inuyasha's hand shot out to grab Miroku, who grabbed Sango who was holding a now un transformed Kirara in her arms. "DON'T LET GO OR WE'LL GO FLYING!" Kagome yelled, the wind picked up and Miroku, Sango and Kirara went flying to the South, Shippo was ripped from Kagome's arms and sent flying in the same direction as the others.

__

Inuyasha clutched Kagome close to her as the wind threw them next, sending them hurling to the North, they landed hard into the ground making Inuyasha wince from the wound in his side and from the deep cuts on him. Kagome got up trying not to hurt him; he got up off the ground leaving the snow under him dyed red. He grabbed the wood and pulled it out and threw it into the snow, "Are you okay Inuyasha?" Kagome asked looking at the bleeding wound, "I'm fine it'll be gone by tomorrow, we have worst problems right now" he said sniffing the frosty winter air and growling, "A blizzard is heading towards us, we better find shelter" he said and began walking. Kagome followed hoping that they would find shelter before the storm hit, or else they would be out in a blizzard with no kind of protection from it what so ever, her back pack being left behind at the now collapsed hut.

**End of Flashback**

Luck had not been with them however since the blizzard had hit harder then Inuyasha had said and a lot faster, the snow was now almost knee deep and still falling in heavy amounts. She wondered if maybe Inuyasha had gotten a slight cold that dulled his sense of smell, he had maculated the coming of the storm a great deal, unlike the many times when he could tell easily how far a thing like a rain shower or blizzard was about to hit. Aside from that she was worried about Inuyasha; his wound should have started to at least bleed less. The battle had taken place after 5:00pm at latest and they had been walking for two hours now, it was like his demon ability to heal was turning off, not only that but he had sustained worst injuries then this so why was he so weak from these wounds? He also seemed to be getting worst with the way he was staggering around, but every time she tried to help he would tell her he was fine.

She sighed and looked around the area around full of trees and blowing snow and a chilling memory returned to her _This is like the time I almost froze to death…_ , the incident had happened a month ago in December when the group had gone on a hunt for a Shikon Jewel Shard. At the time Sango had gone to fix her weapons and visit the graves of her friends and family, so it was just her, Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippo at the time. She and Inuyasha had lost them in the snow storm and she had submitted to the freezing temperature; she had woken up to find herself inside a small hut and on a bed of straw with Inuyasha sleeping beside her curled up keeping her warm. Then she blushed at the memory of him kissing her, was it just because she was rubbing his ears at the time that he did that?

Inuyasha had never spoken of that incident since then, was it because at the time he was still half asleep and was regretting his actions? Or was it a hint that not even he wanted to give out of something much more, something he was hiding from her. She didn't dare to hope that he had feelings for her; every time she did he would go running off to Kikyo and leave her waiting for him to return. And when he did it would be the same routine, she would get upset and get teary eyed. Inuyasha would panic and ask what was wrong, then Shippo would call him a two timing jerk and Inuyasha would throw something at the little fox demon, then she would get mad a "sit" him and then go to her time were she would go to school, study, hangout with her friends. All the while knowing that Inuyasha would eventually come to get her and a un spoken apology would be put into place, and the shard hunting would continue until the next time he ran off with the dead miko or Koga coming to visit her.

He had forgotten something he knew this but couldn't figure out what, he knew it was something important but the cold was clogging his thoughts. Inuyasha winced as his foot hit a rock that was buried in the snow, his bare feet frozen to the point to where anything that hit it would hurt. He growled angrily of the situation they were in because of that damn Kagura, stuck out in the middle of god knows were in the middle of a blizzard, he was injured and Kagome's back pack was still at the site of hut they had been staying at.

_How could this get any worst!_ he wondered and a memory of the last time this happened flashed through his mind, he shuttered though not from the cold. He never wanted to see Kagome in that condition ever again, not if he had anything to do with it. He blushed remembering the kiss they had shared, that is before Shippo and Miroku had found them and barged in at the wrong time. His ears drooped knowing that he had some how hurt Kagome by doing that.

After they had gotten the jewel shard they had set out to get and Sango returned from her village, they had returned to the village for some rest and warmth from the cold weather. Inuyasha had made no move to mention anything of there little moment back at the hut, or why he had done it to begin with. Inuyasha swallowed a growl that was ready to escape his throat; his emotions were starting to get harder to control around her. She was so close to him, she was right there rubbing his ears as if it was the most normal thing in the world, the urge to kiss her had been too strong for him to fight. He could still feel her lips on his, sweet and soft as flower petals, he knew he would not be able to hold this talk from her much longer, he felt like kicking himself for holding it off for a whole month since it happened. As he was thinking this he head started spinning, he tried to shake it away but that just made it worst. Each step was a struggle before the last of his strength was lost and he fell to the ground, his mind going black.

She was brought out of her thoughts when a grunt and the sound of something falling hit her ears, she looked around an then to where Inuyasha was and her eyes widened. Inuyasha was lying in the snow; the cold around them seemed to have slowed the bleeding of the cuts and the large wound in his side. His body was already being buried by the fast falling snow, she ran over to him tripping from the now knee high snow. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha wake up! Inuyasha can you hear me?" Kagome called to him her voice being lost in the wind around them, she heard him groan but he was obviously unconscious. His face was too pale for her liking, it was as if someone had rubbed ashes from a fire pit on his skin, his lips were starting to turn blue and he was freezing to the touch.

She picked him up off the ground and put his arm around her neck and began walking; now they had to find shelter fast, it was plain to see that Inuyasha's condition was getting worst and she needed to find a shelter soon. His wounds were making things worst because of the blood lost he had sustained, and it was easy to see that Hypothermia was starting to set in. Any kind of shelter would do for her right now, an abandoned hut, a cave, a shrine, ANYTHING that would shield them from the cold of the blizzard so she could tend to his injuries and get him warmed up. She tripped and fell to the snow covered ground dropping Inuyasha as well, she quickly got off the ground and picked Inuyasha up and put his arm around her neck again, she heard him moan.

"Inuyasha? Are you awake?" she asked but got no reply answering her question, she looked around the area around them seeing only white, it was starting to get late now and the sun was going to set soon. Suddenly from the corner of her eye she saw a black blob in the distance, preying that it was some form of shelter she picked up her pace and walked over to it finally reaching it. From the look on the outside it looked like a shrine, but inside the building revealed that it was an old dojo. Wooden practice swords were hung on the walls; small wood boards were nailed to the right wall with the now faded names of the dojo master and his or her former pupils. She frowned at the scratches on the walls and some of the knocked over things, it looked like something had attacked it a very long time ago. She gave a silent prayer to those killed in the attack and walked over to the front of the dojo.

Kagome gently put the Hanyou boy down and began looking around the dojo; it was a school of sword fighting right? So there had to be some kind of medicine around that she could use to fix Inuyasha's wounds, she opened a door to what looked like the medical room that injured students were sent when hurt in class. She rummaged around drawers until she found a wooden box full of bandages, not has well as the one from her time but they would have to do, she even found some healing herbs in another drawer. Thanking her grandfather for hammering all that Feudal Era medical tips into her head, and Keade for teaching her what herbs were which she returned to the main room were Inuyasha laid still on the wood floor.

_First things first, the cold will kill him before the injuries will. I hope I can find a blanket; some students had to have lived at the dojo during training. I think I could use those boards on the wall and the wooden training swords for fire wood._ Kagome walked over to the name boards nailed barley to the wall and yanked, the old wood gave in and came off the wall. She took the remaining boards off and took the wooden swords off the wall, she took one of the swords in her hand, she remembered the lesson Inuyasha had given her in starting a fire:

**Flashback**

__

"Kagome what are you doing with those things?" Inuyasha asked looking at Kagome scratch a funny little wooden stick against the box she had taken it out of, "I'm trying to make a fire, but these matches won't light!" she said getting annoyed. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and walked over to her, "Kagome this is the past, I think its time you learned the 'old fashion' way of making a fire. What if you don't have those things with you one time and you're all alone? I'm not having you freeze if I can help it!" he said picking out a medium sized stick, Kagome saw the pink tint on his face at reveling that small bit of concern and she smiled.

He took a smaller piece of wood and put it on the ground and put some dead grass on it, he took the stick he had in his hand and placed it on the grass and wood, and began rubbing his hands so the stick would rub against the grass. A little plum of smoke began to lift from the tiny pile of grass before a little flame appeared soon becoming a fire after adding more grass. "Now you try" he said handing her the stick, some grass and a bit of wood, she copied what she saw Inuyasha do but got only a little puff of smoke before it stopped. "You have to do it faster, like this" in his hast to show her property he didn't notice he hand put his hands on hers and began rubbing the stick into the grass and wood until it became ablaze like its twin burning next to it.

"Thanks Inuyasha" she said just as Inuyasha noticed his hands on hers, he removed his hands blushing as he did and turned away. Kagome simply smiled at him and went about doing what she had been planning to do with the fire, make tonight's supper.

**End of Flashback**

There was no grass this time but this was no time to be concerned about that since she at least had wood, she rubbed the sword onto the board and smoke began to rise from the wood Please! Please burn! her prayer was answered when the board began to burn and become a fire. Once it was big enough she turned her attention to Inuyasha who had started shivering badly, Kagome grabbed the bandages and herbs and blushed as she removed the upper part of his fire rat robe that was dripping wet from the melted snow, _Come on Kagome! You've seen his chest before every other time he was wounded there! Why would this time be any different?_ she scolded herself and got a look at the wounds. He had two deep gashes on his shoulders from Kagura's attack and the wound in his side from the wood, she put the herbs on the wounds and wrapped them snuggly onto the wounds on his shoulders, then did the same with the wound on his side. She would have liked to have cleaned the wounds but she had no water or a way to boil it even if she did.

She looked at the two remaining wounds on his body; on his hakama were slashes were the other wind blades had cut him. Kagome blushed redder at what she had to do, _I hope he is wearing some kind of under cloths there…_ she thought untying the sash that held his hakama up. Blushing more if it was possible and closing her eyes tightly shut she removed the hakama just enough so that she could get to his wounds, relieved that Inuyasha was indeed wearing a type of underclothes a loincloth, she went about treating the remaining of his injuries. _Okay, the wounds are no longer much of a problem but I have to remove his wet cloths and find something to cover him._ she thought as she watched the Hanyou curl up into a ball to keep warm.

She ran over to another of the dojo's rooms and found an old blanket, it looked a little worn out but it was all she could find. She returned to Inuyasha and after removing all cloths except the loincloth from him she wrapped him in the blanket wishing she could have used her sleeping bag instead; she laid out his wet cloths by the fire to dry and the looked back at the sleeping boy. He seems to calm down and had stopped shivering when she put the blanket on him, but he still would need more heat to regain his body heat faster. _I have no other choice he has to get warm._ she took her coat and her upper sweater off finding that the second sweater that she had been wearing under it had not gotten wet; she kicked off her boots and peeled her wet socks off her feet and took off her thick leggings she had worn over her jeans to keep warm.

She blushed a bright crimson as she laid down next to him, feeling the warmth next to him Inuyasha moved closer to Kagome wrapping his arms around her trying to get as close as possible. She held her breath as he held her close, her head on his bare chest, regaining some of her composer she looked up at him. Just like the last time they were in this same situation she was looking at his slumbering face, moments like this when he was badly wounded he didn't have the energy to stay sleeping and aware of the area around him at the same time, he was fast asleep and she knew that Inuyasha was not going to wake up anytime soon. When he had fallen asleep on her bed that one time she had been forced to sleep on the couch, she had tried to wake him up but he didn't awaken. He did even make a move in his sleep to show that he knew someone was shaking his shoulder, when he wanted to Inuyasha could sleep like a rock.

A slight movement caught her eye and she looked up, Inuyasha's dog ears had been what was moving. They were swerving around on top of his head, flicking or flattening every so often as he dreamed. Blushing as she remembered what happened the last time she did this, she reached up and ran her fingers across the fur of his ears. She heard him give a little whine as he pushed his head back into her hand as he began to purr, she bit her lip to hold back her giggles. _And he use to yell me out every time I touched his ears! I wonder…since he's a dog Hanyou I wonder what breed of dog Inuyasha is part of. It would have to be a breed that has white fur, pointed ears and gold eyes. Not to mention a short temper, but also loyal to those around it and affectionate._ as she was thinking she felt Inuyasha's ears oddly shift in her hand and even odder it felt like the fur was disappearing.

She looked up to see and with her hand feel as Inuyasha's ears slid down to the sides of his head, shaping into ears similar to her own. His sliver hair darkened to gray before turning totally black, he was in his human form. Now most of what had happened made sense, THIS was what she had forgotten about! It was the night of the new moon. This was why Inuyasha had been more badly injured by Kagura's attack, this was why the wounds and the cold had gotten to him more then normal and why his sense off smell hadn't picked up the right time the blizzard would hit them. She mentally kicked herself for forgetting something as important as this just as Inuyasha crushed her to him.

He started breathing heavily trying to resist the pain he was feeling and buried his nose in Kagome's hair; obviously the wounds were more painful to his human form then his Hanyou form. "Inuyasha calm down" she whispered trying to calm him down and stop his from moving around, if he kept turning and tossing as he was doing he was going to make his wounds even worst or open them from the little healing they were able to do. As she began stroking his hair trying to calm him down he opened his now violet eyes, to look into her own brown ones.

A look of confusion came to his face as he looked from Kagome to where ever they were now; he tried to sit up until a sharp pain through out his body made him wince. "Inuyasha your hurt you have to take it easy" Kagome whispered gently pushing him back to the floor, "Kagome? What…what happened?" he asked looking around the room again. "You passed out in the snow, I brought you hear. Um…also it seems that it's the New Moon…" she said softy and saying the last part in a whisper knowing that it was going to throw him into a bad mood, he was always in a bad mood when his human night came, sure enough she heard him growl in annoyance just seconds after she told him.

_Great, I'm injured and to top it off I'm a weak human. Now I have to wait all through tomorrow to heal completely, ugh this stupid body feels pain more intensely too…_ now with the questions of what happened and where they were out of his mind he focused on the next problem at hand, _How will I be able to protect Kagome if a demon or Kagura attacks again? She could have created that wind to split us up to attack us better, in my current condition theirs no way I'd be able to keep her from harm._ he growled angry with himself. _Good damn job! Now Kagome is gonna pay for my not getting out of the way in time to dodge Kagura's attack, most defiantly with her life if they thing attacks._

"Inuyasha is something wrong?"

He was brought out of his thoughts by Kagome's voice, "What? No nothings wrong, why?" he asked now noticing just how close Kagome was to him and blushed. "You were growling so I just thought you were angry" Kagome said looking up at him and from the light the fire gave she noticed his flushed face, "Are…are you feeling alright? You look a little feverish" she said putting her hand on his forehead finding it cool to the touch, however it made Inuyasha blush an even darker shade of red. "I'm fine really!" _Damn human emotions! Get yourself together this is no time to go soft!_ he tried to get off the bed again feeling the cold in the room bite at his bare skin, biting back the pain that screamed from his wounds he half way stood up before he noticed he had nothing but his loincloth on, and very quickly laid back down practically yanking the blanket back on.

"Um…Kagome… where are my cloths?" his voice clearly showed his discomfort at the fact that he was laying with a girl he had feelings for, and that he was laying with said girl with nothing but his under cloths on. "Um, they were all wet I had to take them off to get you warm, you were freezing when I got you here…" Kagome said blushing as the event of having to remove his cloths went running through her head, _What like you didn't enjoy the view?_ said a little voice in her head that sounded too much like Miroku for her liking. Inuyasha blinked trying to remember what had happened before he had woke up to the pain of his current injuries, _I remember the battle with Kagura; we got separated from the others. Kagome and I were looking for shelter when the storm hit, it was freezing then everything went black…_

Inuyasha looked to Kagome who was at the moment mentally shaking the voice from her head, he gave a ghost of a smile _All the times I save her, she saves me… even after I've been such a basterd to her from day one…_ that thought made him unable to even look her in the eyes. Kagome however had come out from mentally bashing the Miroku influenced thought out of her head and was focused on the wound Inuyasha was sporting, "How are you're injuries?" she asked gently placing a hand on one of the gashes on his shoulder, she quickly removed her hand when she saw him wince smartly from pain. "Worst then they should be by now" he said turning away so his back faced her.

"If I wasn't in this weak human body I would have been half way healed by now, or at least be able to move around without pain" he said roughly before she heard him say in almost a soft whisper "How am going to protect you now?". Kagome put her hand on the uninjured part of his shoulder, "Don't worry, I don't think anything will be out in this storm" she said absently twirling his now black hair in her fingers. She heard him sigh and snuggle closer before he went limp; worried she looked to see if anything was wrong only to find that he had fallen asleep again. Giggling at his cuteness she laid there playing with his hair until she to fell asleep.


	2. Recovery of sickness and a Decision Made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING: Huge spoilers of early Inuyasha episodes and the Second Inuyasha movie "Castle Beyond the Looking Glass", if you've not seen these episodes or the second movie and don't want the good parts ruined, I would advise you to wait until the next chapter to continue reading.

Even though he was still human he could still slightly smell the sweet scent wafting from the girl next to him, he buried his nose into Kagome's hair and breathed in deeply _Mmm…what a nice scent, she's been using that Jasmine shampoo again…_ . He sighed in content and snuggled her closer ignoring the sharp stab of pain that came from the moment, running his clawless fingers through her soft hair he was perfectly happy to just lay there with her in his arms. Once again the memories of the last snow storm they had been in raced through his mind, plaguing him of what could have happened if he had not been there.

**Flashback**

_**Kami I hate this!** Inuyasha thought as his bare feet began to get numb to the point were he could not even feel the ground under them, his little dog ears were flatted to his head blocking the blowing snow from getting into them, his hair was blowing all over and his fire rat gi was hardly any help at all, he stopped for a second to smell the air, thought the smell of crisp winter snow and air he smelt Kagome's sweet scent, the smell of honey and Sakura blossoms, but there was something extra mixed with it, it smelt like turnips that had gone bad, the smell of sickness was on her **Great she's sick!** Inuyasha thought as he was about to turn around his sharp hearing picked up a sound, _

_**Thump** _

_Before he even turned around Kagome fell to the snow covered ground with her pack pushing her further under the freezing snow, Inuyasha gold eyes grew wide with worry as he ran over to the fallen Miko, he looked at her sprawled form on the ground, he kneeled down and picked her up feeling her ice cold skin against his hands and arms, he noticed that her face was very pale with a light shade of blue, her breathing was raspy and her lips were much bluer then her pale skin, her hair almost looked like his own by how much snow had fallen on it. He placed his hand on her neck and felt her pulse, it was a little weak but was there **She's gonna freeze to death if I don't get her warm fast!** he thought, he pulled her pack off her back and threw it on his shoulder and ran off into the cold blizzard to find some kind of shelter._

**End of Flashback**

_Kagome_ he nuzzled her hair thanking what ever god that would listen that had helped him keep her alive that day, and for bring her into his life and keeping her there despite the way he had treated her since day one. She was slowly changing him, making him able to trust others besides himself, helping him be able to accept himself. Kikyo had never really accepted him as a Hanyou, the way he saw Kikyo now was different; the Kikyo of old had been nice to him and talked to him. They were both the same in a way, a young miko woman who was bound to protect the Shikon jewel and wished to be free of that responsibility and a Hanyou who was shunned by demons and humans alike simply for his mixed blood, they had both wanted someone to confine in and to be around. Kikyo had indeed been kind to him and he had protected her when the need came about, but after coming out of the fifty year sleep Kikyo had put him under and had learned of Naraku and Onigumo and what exactly had happened that day all those years ago, he had began to think things about Kikyo more clearly.

What he and Kikyo had, had not been love, if it had been love then they would not have been so easily fooled by Naraku, they would have trusted each other more and seen that the other would never do such a thing, what he and Kikyo had was friendship at most nothing more. Kagome however, since he met her and started traveling around collecting the Shikon shards and teaming up with their friends along the road, he had begun to notice the small changes to his attitude toward the girl resting beside him, changes that only he would notice since he went to great lengths to hide them. He began to stop getting angry over Kagome leaving because of the shards, but now got angry of her leaving because he got bored and missed her when she was gone. He lashed out as her in annoyance to hide himself, instead of how he use to do it out of lack of trust since no human other then his mother had shown him affection and acceptance until Kagome came into his life. Her scent could cool his most heated rage and calm him; Inuyasha sighed and kissed her forehead before resting his cheek on the crown of her head _Kagome, what are you doing to me?_

Kagome woke to Inuyasha playing with her hair and pressing her close to him, she held back the smile that was tugging at her lips from his silent show of affection. When she felt his lips on her fore head she couldn't help but blush and hope Inuyasha had not noticed she was awake, he obviously didn't when he settled down resting his head on hers and she felt him go limp again. When she was sure he was sleeping she sat up and looked at him, his now black hair was fanned out behind him and his soft breathing was the only sign that he was alive. She lifted the blanket to see if the bleeding had stopped completely to find that while the bandages had some blood on them it seemed that the wounds were no longer bleeding to were it would be dangerous to his human form _Must be his demon blood starting to come back, it is almost dawn_ , but she would have to get a good look at them first, and right now Inuyasha had to rest and recover from what little damage Hypothermia had done to him. She was sure though that she had gotten him to shelter before it had set in, but better safe the sorry was a saying that she believed in.

She got up and very carefully opened the door and looked outside, she was shocked to find the blizzard was still in full force and was snowing them in; she sighed and closed the door so as to keep it warm. For now she would worry about that later, it wasn't as if they were ready to leave the dojo in the state they were in. She heard a noise behind her and turned around, missing his source of warmth and having been hit accidentally by the cold air outside when Kagome had opened the door, Inuyasha had rolled up back into a ball taking the entire blanket with him to stay warm. Cold from the now slight chill in the dojo from opening door she walked over back to where Inuyasha laid asleep, she untangled him from the blankets happy that she had not woken him up in doing so. She settled back down snuggling to Inuyasha's back and was glad to feel warmth radiating from him, his body was starting to regain the heat it had lost out in the cold. Yawning she snuggled closer and boldly wrapped her arms around him _Get better soon Inuyasha…_

**Later that Morning**

Inuyasha awoke to the sting of his transformation back to his half demon self, he laid there until the transformation was over and were a human boy once was, was now a Hanyou boy in his place. Inuyasha stretched and then noticed something around his waist; he looked over his shoulder to see Kagome snuggled up next to him with her arms wrapped around him. He felt the blush rise to his face at her being so close, why was it so easy for him to have her this close last night when he woke up, but very un nerving when he was in this form and she was this close _Because humans LIVE on affection, and don't have that much of a problem giving it as demons do…_ he guessed blushing a deeper red as he felt her squeeze her arms tighter around him and snuggle closer, he removed her arms from him to take a long at how his wounds were.

He removed the wrappings from his waist and the now dry herbs used to speed his healing fell to the floor, he sighed when he looked at the wound and confirmed what he knew last night. The wound was healing nicely no longer bleeding at all and wasn't as bad as it was the other night, however a gaping hole smaller then it use to be was still there. _At least the wound isn't going all the way from my front through to my back anymore_ Inuyasha thought touching the area of his back that the wood had ripped through after being stabbed into him, the skin was healed over the wound and he could feel the internal damage done healing since it was itchy. He took at look at the gashes he had gotten from Kagura's wind blade attack on his shoulders and thighs, he smirked when he saw how all that was left of them was red lines were the skin was still healing, at least those had healed.

He stood up and put the used bandages in a pile by the door, and opened the door a little to take a look at the conditions outside after the blizzard, and was shocked as he was buried under a waterfall of snow. Hearing a yelp of surprise Kagome awoke and looked to her side to find Inuyasha gone, she then turned to the door which was now open allowing the piled up snow to fall into the dojo, from the snow two feet and arms stuck out along with a pair of white dog ears, barely visible due to the closeness in color with the snow. "Inuyasha? Inuyasha is that you are you okay?" she asked running over to see Inuyasha climbing out of the mini snow hill in front of the door, "I'm fine but its gonna be hell digging our way out of here" he said shaking snow out of his hair and looking beyond the door. From the tiny amount of space between the top of the door frame and the snow he got a look outside, the tall fence that surrounded the dojo was buried to were only the top could be seen, the whole yard was a pile of white snow, it was as if the snow was trying to replace the grass that once grew in the yard.

"Are you feeling any better?" he heard Kagome ask and felt her put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm fine now, if it wasn't my human night last night I would have been fully healed by now" he said looking at the small hole in his side, he felt Kagome grab his hand and blushed as she lead him over to the blanket "Come on, I need to put fresh bandages and herbs on your wounds". Inuyasha nodded trying not to show how flustered he was and sat down and waited form Kagome to return with bandages and herbs for his wounds _I don't know why she likes bandaging my injuries so much, there going to heal before the herbs start working_ he wondered not really bothered by Kagome's want to care for his wounds. **_Besides you like her coddling over you when you're hurt_ ** A voice in his head said in a teasing manner. _Who the hell are you?_ Inuyasha asked wondering if the others might have found them and Shippo was playing another prank on him, **_I'm your human side of your brain, the SMART side that you like to ignore all the time_ ** it said flatly.

 _What do you mean? I never heard you before_ Inuyasha said trying to remember if there ever was a time this had happened, **_You know that voice you hear? The one that speaks up when you say something to Kagome or the others that you know will ether get you "sat" or thrown a comment? That's me_ ** Inuyasha blinked _Wouldn't that be my conscience?_ he heard the voice sigh. **_Since you stopped paying attention to your conscience years ago I stepped in, but you won't even listen to me_ ** it said in a dull tone, **_Besides, I'm able to speak to you like this now since with you liking Kagome so much, your going to need help from me_ **. Inuyasha felt the blush rise from his neck right to his face _I DO NOT LIKE KAGOME!_ he screamed his voice squeaking a little, **_Sure, you don't like Kagome and Shessomaru will start walking around with little pink bows in his hair_ ** it said dryly. Inuyasha however was snickering at the mental image of Shessomaru prancing around his palace with his silver hair full of pink silk bows, **_WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION!_ ** the voice screamed spooking Inuyasha.

It cleared its throat, **_Anyway, if you don't like Kagome then why do you like it when she takes care of your injuries?_ ** Inuyasha closed his eyes at the return of the subject of his feelings for the miko of the future _I do not! It's…its damn annoying I can take care of myself!_ Inuyasha defended yelling back at the voice, **_Oh yes! You did a great job of that when you didn't listen to Kagome, she said you should hurry and find shelter to make sure the two of you weren't out when the storm hit, but nooooooo you have to always be right. Yes almost dieing from the cold is a great way to take care of yourself!_ ** Inuyasha winced at that but still yelled back _Look, from what I smelled the storm wasn't suppose to hit when it did!_ Inuyasha could almost feel the owner of that voice roll his eyes if he had any as he spoke.

 **_Look in case you don't remember last night was a NEW MOON! Your demon abilities disappear as the day goes by, you should NEVER rely on your sense of smell on a day of you human night, especially in the circumstances that you were in yesterday. Not only could YOU have died out in that storm but so could have Kagome!_ ** Inuyasha sucked in a breath at the realization of just what could have happened, but as that was spinning in his head the voice continued **_What if she didn't find shelter? You and her would have died and it would be YOUR fault because you want to be mister tough guy, you want to act like your fine that nothing is wrong with you. But if memory serves right all the time you were walking with Kagome in the storm you were saying in your head how dizzy you were getting, I'm sure that was due to blood lost and from your human blood starting to take over_ ** it finished waiting for Inuyasha to say something, either disagree with it or actually agree that he had been pig headed.

Inuyasha didn't say anything just sat there on the floor, with his bangs covering his eyes hiding any emotion he was feeling at the moment from view. His ears twitched at the sound of soft foot steps from the hallway, the voice spoke once more **_Look, you like Kagome so stop denying it already. But if you want to go ahead and keep denying it then stop leading her on, you do everything in your power to get her to notice your feelings without even noticing it. But when she does return it you throw it right back in her face, weather it be insulting her, acting like a basterd or insulting her cooking. I think its time you took a leaf out of your own book as Kagome would put it, Didn't you tell Souta when he wanted to confess he liked that Hitomi girl to just come out and say it?_ ** what he had told Souta that day echoed in his head.

_"Are you a man or aren't you? Didn't you tell me the other night that you love this girl? Have courage and go for it!"_

The foot steps outside were getting louder signaling that Kagome would soon re enter the room, the voice of his human mind spoke once more before leaving Inuyasha to think about what he and his human mind had spoke about. **_If you want Kagome then you have to talk to her, just because your to chicken and blinded by your old memories of Kikyo doesn't mean Kagome should be alone, you get pissed off when ever another male comes near her. If you want to be with her then say something, if not then let her find someone who does want to be with her and stop chasing off other males_ ** with that his human mind returned to the corners of his mind to leave him to think, Inuyasha sat there in deep thought and listening to Kagome's foot steps get closer until he heard the door slide open. Kagome walked in carrying fresh bandages, a clay bowl and a clay pot of new herbs and a clean cloth.

"Hey Inuyasha guess what, I found a pot we can use to boil some water. I never cleaned your wounds since I didn't have anything to clean them or to hold the water" she said brightly walking over to the pile of snow on the floor, she scooped some snow into the bowl and then closed the door to keep the cold out. She returned to the site of where the fire had been and saw that some boards remained unburned, she started a fire again and let the snow melt in the fire and let the heat kill any germs that might be in the snow, it hand been on the ground after all. She dipped the cloth into the warm water when it was melted and started cleaning the wound on his side, "We should find the others when we get out of here, I hope they were able to find shelter from the storm" she said ringing the water out of the cloth and dipping it back into the water, "I hope their all okay" she said softly as she began to clean his wound again. Inuyasha was aware of Kagome talking to him but was deep in thought.

**Flashback**

_He felt himself waking from the fog he had been in as a scent came to his nose that smelled familiar, in recognizing it he growled angrily as the owner came closer. "It's the scent of the woman who killed me" he he growled as a young girl came running over, shoulder long black hair, brown eyes and wearing a insanely short white and green "kimono". She ran to his tree and tried to catch her breath, his sensitive nose smelt a demon coming their way and her scent laced with fear. He smirked at the girl in front of him at the demon showed itself "What's the matter Kikyo? Just do it like you did me" he said in his arrogant tone, the girl looked up at him in surprise and then glared at him. "My name isn't Kikyo its Kagome, Ka-go-me" she said, he held back a snarl but yelled at her "Yes you are! Kikyo is the only ones who smells…" he caught another whiff of the odd girls scent; he took a few more sniffs to make sure and looked at her surprised._

_"You're not her…"_

**End of Flashback**

Kagome was still talking; something about how they had to go back to the now broken hut to get her back pack. "Maybe the others will be there to seeing if we returned, it would save us a lot of walking" she said as she put the cloth down into the bowl and began to place the herbs on his would, then began wrapping the bandages around his waist. Still Inuyasha's mind wandered to moments long pasted.

**Flashback**

_He still could not believe she had pointed her arrow at Shessomaru and returned the Tetsusaiga back to its un transformed state; she had a lot more guts then any other human he knew or had seen. She had shot a second arrow at his brother even after he had threaten her, he shook the thoughts from his head looked at the ground "Hey Kagome, I never asked how you were doing your hurt too" he said, Kagome put her hand to her hand and smiled "Its just a bump, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you when you said stay away from Shessomaru. All I did was make things worst, you wouldn't be so injured had I listened" she said smiling but he could see pure guilt in her eyes. Inuyasha looked up at her, "No I'm grateful Kagome, if you hadn't used your arrow then I would have never been able to attack him", he sees a small about of shock cross her face before it's mixed with worry._

_"Inuyasha are you feeling alright? You acting strange" she said kneeling and put her hand to his forehead "Are you running a fever?" she asked, Inuyasha could have sworn he had heard a voice nearby but brushed it off. "I've made a decision, things are get more dangerous by the day" he said looking her in the eyes as she spoke, "Yea your probably right" Inuyasha, shocked by the calm response and overwhelmed of what he has to do response in a more seriose tone, "What's that suppose to mean! Aren't you scared we are in serious danger, this time we were lucky but who knows about next time!" he watched as her face became just as serious as his own, "Well I'm not afraid, Naraku is a terrible demon, we got to do what we can to stop him" un able to stop himself he found himself grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his arms, holding her close to him._

_"In…Inuyasha?" she heard her surprised voice but he held her closer closing his eyes, "I…I was afraid" he stuttered not use to voicing out what he felt to others, "W…what?" she asked as if not hearing what he had said, he opened his eyes and spoke again "I was scared I was going to lose you…" he said secretly grabbing the little piece of the jewel around her neck before pushing her away towards the well, she fell to the ground and looked at his shocked "Inuyasha?" it was now or never it had to be done…for her own good, for her own safety. "I'll hang onto the jewel" he looked to the jewel and then to her, he could feel something tearing in his chest as he gathered his courage for what he had to do "Kagome! Go back to your own era!" he pushed her and watched with sad eyes as she fell into the well and a blue light glowed from the well signaling Kagome returning to her time, for him hopefully for the last time…_

**End of Flashback**

_She wasn't supposed to come back, she was suppose to stay in her time were its safe. But she came back…she returned…she…wanted to see…me…_ He looked at Kagome stomping on the fire, the boards now nothing but ash as she poured the remaining water from the bowl into the ashes and mixed it around with the wooden sword, she had told him one time it helped to make sure sparks didn't start a forest fire. She had said she had learned from her father on one of their camping trips before Souta was born, at least she had experience in that area, she needed it with all the camping out they did when they didn't find a village. Frankly everyday he hoped that they didn't find a village, sleeping in those stuffy dusty inns made him feel like the walls were closing in on him, what was it Kagome said he probably was? Claustrophobic?

**Flashback**

_He could feel it taking over his body, he felt like his veins were on fire as his demon blood continued to over power his human blood and take away his humanity. He could feel his eyes burning as they turned red and felt his eyes grow narrower becoming blue slits, the skin of his fingers stretch as his claw grew to deadly talons, his blood pounded in his ears and he could feel his fangs getting longer and shaper. He fought the demon blood fighting to get control of his body and mind, he felt stinging as purple streaks appeared on the sides of his face, every moment he fought back his demon blood was painful. Never before was transforming so painful, before it was his body pulsing while the stinging of his blood became stronger but without it burning like this, it was after that, that everything would go black until he became his normal self and got a look at what ever damage he might have done._

_"Inuyasha, why are you resisting? Isn't this what you wanted? Your true self, the demon that you wish to be?" came Kaguya's voice through the pounding in his ears; he felt the burning increase like lava was in his veins instead of blood. He screamed as he continued to fight the transformation, he would not become a monster. When he wanted to become a full demon and became one when Goshiki destroyed Tetsusaiga, it was not what he had imagined he would get out of it. He heard another voice through the insanely running through his head, a man's voice. "Inuyasha? Inuyasha you must not transform!" the voice screamed, a flash of purple and black was all he could see through the pain induced fog clouding his mind, his demon mind took over the situation before he could stop it, his claws slashed out at the blob of purple and black as he managed to pick up who's scent it was: Miroku_

_From what he could tell he had hit him, only cutting the monks arm leaving shallow cuts, he knew… he could smell the blood. His demon blood gave another pulsing attack at trying to destroy the human part of his mind and heart; he could feel his human blood begging sucked away, sucked away from the mirror that Kaguya held in front of her. In the mirror was the image he saw ever new moon, black hair, violet eyes, his human self, the one thing he hated and yet he found himself trying to hold onto it. "INUYASHA!" a female voice screamed out this time sounding desperate and yet full of hope, he felt something grab his arms and felt the front of fire rat rope become wet. "Inuyasha…Inuyasha please don't transform! I like you as a half demon!" the voice yelled, likes him as a half demon? Someone had told him that who was it? His demon blood already removing his memories he tried to grab at the one that would help him stop this, the image of a girl with black hair, brown eyes filled with trust and not a trace of fear of him entered his mind. That girl, she freed him from the spell, that girl was Kagome!_

_Now more then ever he fought blinding himself from the pain of his demon blood he could not, no, would not allow his demon blood to strike out at Kagome. "Inuyasha…Please, please don't transform. Please stop!" she was crying now he could smell the salt of her tears mixing with hers scent, his demon side relished in the fact that it was causing the female pain while his human side felt the helplessness he always felt when she cried, especially when he was the one who caused her to cry. He tried the grab her and push her away to keep her safe, but his demon side half in control of his body dug his claws into her arms as he went to push her away. He heard her let out a small cry as his claws pierced her soft skin, his nose stung with the copper scent of her blood. He wished it would end already, so long as she and the others got out of this mess. She was crying again, out of pain from the claw marks in her arms or worry for him he wasn't sure, but his foggy mind guessed both._

_Her hair was under his nose allowing him to breath in her scent; it further allowed the fact that she was there to sink into his mind. Calming him down but his demon blood was still fighting for control, he screamed as another round of burning pain ran through his veins. He felt the girl move, and press her lips to his. Shock stopped everything at once as his mind put together what was going on, a shiver went down his spine and his demon blood began to calm as his feelings for the girl kissing him, his remaining human blood allowed him to feel the emotions needed to fight his demon blood. He felt the burning in his body cool, his claws shrank back to their normal length and he felt his teeth return to normal. The fog in his eyes disappeared allowing him to see clearly for what had felt like hours in hell, the first thing he saw was Kagome, her eyes closed as she continued to kiss him. **Kagome…** unable to hold himself back and not caring at the moment who was there watching, he kissed her back. _

**End of Flashback**

Inuyasha stood up still looking as if he was in a daze, yet the atmosphere around him was thick with a serious attitude as if he had come to a decision and was planning to carry it out, come high or low waters he would carry it out. His hair still covering his eyes, he watched as Kagome stood up from the puddle of ashes on the floor and walk over to her extra sweater and coat and put them on before walking to the door, she opened it and ran before the snow could fall on her. "How are we going to get out of here?" he heard her whine looking at the snow that stretched as far as the eye could see, silently the Hanyou boy dressed in his now dry fire rat robe and walked over to the young girl. He surprised her when he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, resting his cheek on her head pillowed by her soft hair. Smelling her scent he sighed and nuzzled her hair feeling Kagome tense, not from fear but from their close contact.

"Inuyasha?" she said her voice soft but clearly sounded like she wanted a un spoken question answered, Inuyasha hugged her tighter determined to answer her questions, the question he knew she and been wanting answered for the past month since she had been the one sick, and the question of why he was acting the way he was right now. This type of behavior was not normal for him and he knew this, but Kagome never pulled away from him when he did. She was never scared of his demon form, she didn't hate him for being half demon but envied him for all the "cool" things his demon abilities allowed him to do. She had once told him she wished she could run as fast as he could, to run as fast as the wind and feel free. She even liked his ears, the part of him that marked him as a Hanyou. She found everything about him acceptable, his ears, his claws, his fangs, his human form, his Hanyou form…she wasn't even scared of his full demon form, when he transformed it wasn't herself that she was scared for…it was always HIM she was scared for. He sighed turned her around to face him, his gold eyes looking right into her brown ones.

"Kagome…we need to talk"


	3. Confessions of the Heart

There are moments in every ones life that bring about great change, moments that bring about either happiness or despair to the person the change is happening to. These are defining moments that decide and challenge the person that test more then often their character, or their strength to take what ever the world hands them and make the best of it they can. The moment your mother shows you a robe made of fire rat fur you dad had made for you ("Momma! This is too big!"), the moment you decide you would rather have your hair long and not let your mother cut it ("I hate it short it make my head feel funny"), the day you learn to use chopsticks for the first time, then say your fingers work better (Momma look! The rice is little ants!). The first time you are insulted by someone for what you are, the night you watch your mother submit to illness and the only person in your life is gone forever, then you are run out of the village and know you will never see it again. The day you find out you have a half brother and the very same day find out he wants nothing to do with you since you a "Half Breed". The day you break puberty and become a mute for three weeks so your so called serevnt won't make fun of your voice sounding like a squeaking bird, the day as a teenager you hear of a jewel that can finally take away the hate since it can grant any wish, then go to the village to find the jewel protected by a miko woman. Your first crush on a girl, the day you make plans to spend the rest of your days together. The day you see your love point an arrow at you and you steal the jewel, are pined to a tree, then are woken up to find a girl that looks like you lost love and that fifty years had passed.

The day your lost love is returned to life.

The day you start to notice a growing affection towards the girl you're traveling with, but are still confused about your first love.

The days you start insulting the girl to hide your feelings.

The day you first act upon your feelings and scream for her not to die, then find out it was just the fox fire of the Kitsune boy you took in and not their souls.

The day you and her are stranded in a snow storm and you're the only one who can save her.

Your second kiss with her.

The day that for she saves you from a snow storm, and are now asking her the question you never wanted to ask for fear of getting hurt again.

Changes that define what our life will be like depending on how we take on the change and the challenge, Inuyasha stood with Kagome staring at him; her brown eyes filled with puzzled confusion as she looked the Hanyou boy robed in fire rat fur, his golden eyes glowed in the dimness of the dojo, taking on the current life challenge of weather this girl would say yes and have him take on the future were he and her might get married and start a family. Or she would reject him and leave him with them just being friends and he found a different girl which for him was very slim to none. Those eyes; they seemed to glow with an un readable emotion, as if he was hoping she would give the answer to his un asked question. He was looking at her with a warm tenderness that she had often caught him directing at her when she was trying to sleep at night, his eyes would look as if he was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the girl of his current thoughts was awake and caught him watching her sleep. What was it that Inuyasha wanted to talk about? Was he mad about sleeping next to them in their state of dress the other night? Was he just angry that he had to depend on the help of a girl to keep him from dieing from the cold? Was he really that pride full that he would die before asking for help even if it was a girl? These thoughts brought pain filled tears to her eyes.

He was starting to panic, one minute she was happy and complaining about how they were going to digging out of the dojo. Now he watched as confusion, wonder, and then doubt fill her warm brown eyes before those eyes began to swim with un shed tears. Why was she crying now? She wasn't hurt was she? He didn't smell any blood or saw any sign of injury from what he saw, thinking fast he held her close again trying to calm her down. He couldn't stand when she cried; he never did like it when women cried. He hated to see her upset or sad, it remained him of when his mother would lay in bed weeping whispering his fathers name thinking her little boy was asleep, but he was wide awake every time and would wish there was someway to make her happy. Those nights he knew his mother might feel guilty of her son seeing her cry, so he would wait until she cried herself to sleep then crawl into her bed and snuggle up to her as if to tell her that one small piece of her long dead husband was with her, her only child with her husbands glittering silver hair, golden eyes and his unique charming little dog ears.

"Kagome please stop crying, what did I do?" he asked in a worried tone, he sat down taking her with him and sitting her in his lap. Sniffling he felt her rest her cheek on his chest before speaking, her voice shaky from crying, "Are you mad at me?" Inuyasha shocked pulled her away from him and looked in her eyes, "Why would I be mad at you?" he said calmly, he wasn't mad at her in the least, she hadn't done anything but save his life which he was more then grateful for. Years ago if he had been in the same situation as a pup, any other human would turn their nose up at him and walk away, and any demon would simply see him as a easy meal or a way to further remove the hated taboo race of Hanyou's from the earth. "Are you…are you mad at me for…the other night?" Kagome asked calming down slightly when she saw the panic and confusion leave the boys eyes to be replaced with what looked like…gratefulness, he was grateful to her?

"Why would I be angry with you about that? If it wasn't for you I would be dead by now" he said wiping away the traces of tears away with his thumbs, deciding to lighten the mood a little he spoke again, "I guess I could also consider it pay back for seeing you naked that time" he said hearing the young girl in his arms give a small laugh, he smiled, he liked her laugh, he liked it even more when it was him making her that happy. "I think you already got pay back, remember when Jaken stole the Tetsusaiga and you and Miroku passed out in the hot spring?" she asked blushing at the memory, Inuyasha snickered blushing a bit at the memory of Kagome seeing him in all his glory that time. He had, had worst things to worry about years ago and right now in his present besides people seeing him, although it did make him blush to know that a girl he had a crush on had seen him, not even Kikyo had seen him nude. Kagome had been the only girl he had ever gotten flustered at her seeing him.

"Well at least after all the times you saved me, I got to repay you" he heard her say feeling her smile against his robe, "But I want to protect you, you don't have to repay nothing" he said softly. He felt her calm down before she spoke "If your not angry about the other night then…what is it you want to talk about?" she asked, Inuyasha felt the heat return to his face and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat at the question. He would not let this get him un nerved! He had fought demons of all shapes and sizes with variose abilities; he had even fought the Dark Priestess who had been working under Naraku, he had fought his full blooded half brother Shessomaru many times and while getting gapping wounds to cuts and scratches lived to face another day. He had survived for 17 years of his life before meeting Kikyo of hatful humans and demons, the years before his teens had been years full of fear, hatred, and anger.

He had lived through all that surely he could handle voicing his feelings to Kagome, he opened his mouth before clapping it shut again making his fangs and teeth click upon shutting, "Inuyasha?" he asked wondering what was taking so long to speak. He was getting annoyed with himself; this one girl could make him come apart at the seams easier then anyone he had ever met, or anyone that he was lucky enough to get to talk to him. He mentally shook his head, right now at a time where he wanted to go into his future with Kagome at his side if she said yes was not a time to bring up moments of the past. He swallowed again and spoke his voice lightly shaky and nervous sounding. "Um…Kagome what am I to you?" he asked first wanting to be sure there was a chance that she would say yes, he wouldn't be able to bear it if he asked right now plain and out if she liked him more then a friend and she said no. He felt Kagome playing with his fire rat robe and could feel the heat from her blush, "Well, you can be a little arrogant and bad tempered" She said feeling him stiffen but she smiled.

"But…"

 _But?_

"I know your heart is in the right place, you're normally angry when I get in danger mostly because you're worried about me. Your really sweet under your tough guy act, you're a good friend" she said not knowing what she said had made the Hanyou's face glow a bright hue of red, if it was possible it might have been permanently stained that color. He had now gotten what she saw of how he acted, but she had said he was her friend. Was she saying that simply because she was embarrassed about voicing something else? Something he wanted to hear from her right then, "I…I meant do you like me…as more then just a…friend…" there he had said it, he had set out the question, although it wasn't the actually way he wanted to ask it but… "What do you mean?" she asked. If she wasn't in his lap he would have fallen to the floor, why was the gods making this difficult as hell! Did they like terrorizing people like this! That was it, he had to say it plain a simple and lay it out in front or her, no more beating around the bush it wasn't working and he was getting further annoyed at himself for even trying that tactic.

"I mean do you…love me" he asked his throat feeling scratchy and dry as he spoke, his face close to turning purple from blushing so deeply. "Oh" Kagome said sounding surprised by his question, but Inuyasha could hear something else besides the expected blush that had stained her cheeks and could possibly challenge Inuyasha's. _Why is he asking me that? Does he…could he actually?_ Kagome's lack of an answer made his ears droop, did she not feel the same way? A forlorn look clouded his golden eyes, "You…have another you want to be with then?" he asked hoping he wouldn't make a bigger fool out of himself in front of her. Kagome's eyes widened and she held him firmly to her incase he tried to make a run for it, she knew how he would react to this type of thing. "Inuyasha why? I mean why are you asking me that? Don't you want to be…with Kikyo?" she asked, the resurrected miko known as Kikyo had been a knot in their relationship for quite sometime; after being resurrected and wandering around Feudal Japan for a while she had been found sleeping in a tree near the well, she had bound Kagome to a tree with her soul collectors, then forced Kagome to watch as Inuyasha spilled his soul out to her. Weeping Kagome had watched as the former couple embraced one another, the reunion became something toward a more negative purpose.

Kikyo had tried to drag Inuyasha down into hell with him under some kind of spell, Kagome had gotten him out of it and he had jumped away out of Kikyo's grasp and noticed Kagome bound to the tree. The other time Kikyo had tried to kill Kagome however she had never told him what happened even after Inuyasha had asked her countless times after the incident, in time he had figured out himself that Kikyo had tried to hurt Kagome, why else would Kagome keep something like that to herself if it wouldn't upset him; the idea of his former love trying to kill or harm Kagome was indeed a painful thought, and it made old wounds of old feelings bleed. The next time was when Inuyasha found Kikyo in the woods by the well not too longer after he had learned of Onigumo and Naraku's connection. He had yelled after hearing that Naraku might have sick ideas about Kikyo and said he was the only one who would protect her and that he didn't care how she felt about him now, he had held her to him while she struggled until she calmed and drew a dagger at him barley missing him as she floated away, Kagome had been nearby and had seen what had happened, Inuyasha had noticed her and before he could say anything other then her name the girl ran for the well.

"I…I don't love Kikyo" Inuyasha said in a low whisper, he felt the girl in his arms move to look at him but he held her closer to him. "What me and her had all those years ago…for me it was love…but she…she couldn't see passed my mixed blood enough to feel anything other then friendship for me" he felt her grab the material of his robes tighter in her hands, "Kikyo, the one on this earth is a shell of grave soil and clay that is harboring the hatred she held for me…after Naraku attacked her looking like me" Inuyasha said with an unreadable look in his amber eyes. Kagome listened silently to him; she couldn't dare herself to hope that from all that he was saying was not a dream, she could wake up right now on the cold floor of the dojo with Inuyasha being his normal arrogant self. It could all be some cruel dream that was showing her a daydream she allowed herself to float around in when she was relaxing in her room in her time, or in her sleeping bag in this time when she couldn't fall asleep. Those daydreams were in many different forms, of her and Inuyasha sitting under the God Tree enjoying each others company, of them in her time in her room just talking about little things or just goofing around. Through her thoughts she continued to listen to Inuyasha talk.

"Kikyo, the Kikyo I once knew fifty years ago is gone from this world" he felt her take hold of his own and give a gentle squeeze, smiling he squeezed back "I was so desperate to save you when that snow storm hit that day, I was scared I was going to lose you…I…I love you" he hugged her tightly nuzzling her hair. Kagome sat there in shock before what the Hanyou had said fully hit her _He…he loves me, Inuyasha loves me!_ , unable to contain herself she pushed into him careful of his half healed wound and succeeding in surprising him and making him fall back into the wall. "Ouch Kagome!" Inuyasha said, but no anger was present in his tone of voice, just playfulness could be heard in his comment. But Kagome just continued to hold him in a hug and soon felt Inuyasha's own arms wrap around her, and felt him rest his head on her own. Still holding her he leaned his back onto the wall, right now to content to do much of anything simply other then hold the girl he had so long wished to hold and voice his feelings to. Kagome shyly moved her hands up his back threading her fingers in his silver hair along the way before reaching his ears and firmly but gently began scratching them "I love you to Inuyasha" she said smiling, "Kagome" he moaned softly as a purr escaped his throat, she felt his hold on her give slightly and felt his weight shift slightly into her. Kagome giggled as she felt his foot begin to twitch lightly, but it sped up after she found a sensitive spot in the middle of his ear close to the base.

 _I can defiantly get use to this …_ Inuyasha felt Kagome's hands release his ears and he gave a small whine, "Sorry Inuyasha but we really have to get out of here and get back to the hut, we need to dig my back pack out of the wreckage and the others will be worried about us" Kagome said getting up. Inuyasha came out of his daze and got up as well and un sheathed Tetsusaiga, Kagome stood as far away as she could knowing what was to come in order to dig a trail through the snow as fast as possible. " ** _WIND SCAR!_** " Inuyasha screamed slashing his sword through the air as a blast of energy shot from the sword to the ground; the energy blasted away a long trail in the snow. After several more blasts from the Tetsusaiga's Wind Scar there was a clean path walled by snow leading to the outside of the dojo, Inuyasha came back into the dojo to tell Kagome that the path was done and the two began walking from the place that had sheltered them through the harsh blizzard that had blown just the other night, now only a very gentle snow fall.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called out, the Hanyou turned to face her.

"What?"

Kagome smiled innocently before walking up to him, and kissing him.

"Love you"

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and returned the kiss, then held her close as the little flurries of snow danced around them in the chilly winter breeze.

"Love you too"


	4. Reunions

"How far did that bitch blow us anyway!" Inuyasha growled glaring ahead of him and stomping his bear feet into the snow covered ground, both he and Kagome had been walking for what felt like hours trying to find their way back to the hut they had stayed in the other day, before Kagura attacked them and destroyed it. "I wonder if the others found shelter from the storm? I hope their okay" Kagome said looking around at the snow covered forest, the small snow fall they had, had stopped leaving a new coat of snow on the ground. The bushes around them had ice covering their branches and leaves as did some of the trees; it was like walking through an ice forest. She felt Inuyasha's hand close over hers "Don't worry I'm sure the others are fine" his voice was soft; she looked over to him and smiled. She saw a faint pink blush on his face and he was looking at the ground, even after they had told each other they loved one another he was acting like a shy little puppy. Kagome almost giggled at that thought but stop herself in time, one who didn't know him as well as she did would never have thought that under that tough guy act and the dirty mouth he was such a shy softy. She laced her fingers with his and rubbed her fingers against his, she watched the pink on his cheeks almost immediately change a bright red.

"I guess your right, I just hope they weren't blown too far south from our camp site" Kagome said now looking ahead to see if the wrecked hut was in view yet, "Do we really have to go get your back pack? I mean you don't really carry anything important in that thing do you?" Inuyasha said, in truth he just wanted to spend a little more time alone with Kagome and that would be ruined if they found the hut and the others were there, but either way they would have to find the others at some point. "Yes I have all my school books and the first aid kit in there, and ramen" she said and giggled when she saw Inuyasha's ears twitch at the mention of his favorite food. "Any of those dried potato things in you bag too?" Inuyasha asked, Kagome rolled her eyes in amusement _If it isn't ramen he isn't eating its those garlic favored potato chips, ever since he ate the ones I was going to give to Jijenji he's been hooked on them_ . "Yes Inuyasha, potato chips are in there too. I should buy breath mints for you too, every time you eat them you get garlic breath" she said teasingly, she laughed at his fake annoyed looked. "Feh!" was all he said before looking away making Kagome laughed more, "I think my mom was right about teenaged boys though, you do eat a lot" Kagome said still in her teasing tone, after hearing him confess his feelings to her she was in too good of spirits to not want to play around with Inuyasha. Inuyasha glared at her but she could see the playful amusement glowing from his eyes.

"I do not" he said smirking

"You do too" she said sporting a smirk herself

"Do not"

"Do too"

"Do not"

"Do eeekkkk!"

Kagome screamed in mirth as the Hanyou made a playful attempted to grab her, "You can't catch me!" Kagome yelled running through the snow and up a small near by hill before running into a hard wall and felt something warm wrap around her, she opened her eyes to see the red color of Inuyasha's fire rat robe in front of her eyes. "Next time you say that you should remember that I'm faster then you" Inuyasha said sporting a smug smirk that mirrored the tone in his voice, Kagome smirked at the evil idea that popped into her mind "Maybe I should punish you for your fresh tone of voice?" she said playfully, "Oh? And how are you going to do that?" he asked. His question was answered when her hands flew to his sides and began tickling him, "AH! KAGOME STOP!" Inuyasha yelled half laughing trying to get her hands off him, every time he went to grab her hands they would move somewhere else, when had Kagome's hands gotten so fast? "NEVER!" she yelled reaching up to tickle his ears. "NOT MY EARS!" Inuyasha pleaded before he was laughing himself breathless as Kagome's fingers danced on his ears.

Inuyasha seeing an opening lunged up and ticked Kagome, her hands left his ears and tried to remove his hands from her sides. But the sides once again changed when Kagome sat him and he fell face first into the snow and her attack began again, Inuyasha jumped up and ran "Lets see if you can catch me slow poke!" he yelled before he tripped on a rock buried in the snow close by the edge of the hill, giving Kagome time to catch up. Kagome saw that he had stopped and was trying to regain his balance but running too fast herself she ran right into him. The two rolled down the hill leaving trails in the snow, Inuyasha sped up his rolling and got in front of Kagome to have her roll into him and they both crashes into the pile of snow at the bottom. The two laughed trying to dig themselves out of the snow, "I think that's enough goofing around until we find the others" Kagome said standing up, Inuyasha nodded also standing up. "At this rate we'll never find them" Inuyasha said picking Kagome and taking off leaping every so often, Kagome clung to his robes laughing "Just don't crash into anything" she said playfully, "Hey you crashed into me!" Inuyasha said his wounds clearly had healed with how much he had been jumping around and not wincing in pain even once, she smacked him on his back playfully.

"Wench" he said not really meaning it

"Little puppy" she said laughing at his growl

"Don't call me that in front of the others"

"Wouldn't dream of it"

**Meanwhile**

"WIND TUNNEL!" Miroku yelled sucking up the snow that covered the caved entrance, "That was certainly some storm we had" Sango said picking up her boomerang, Kirara meowed in agreement and jumped on her shoulder. "I always liked snow, now I don't want to see it for the rest of my life!" Shippo said who now had his reddish brown hair out of its normal pony tail and was ringing the water out of his hair, it still had not dried all the way since early that morning when he had run to the entrance and crashing into the wall of snow that covered it, the snow had melted soaking his hair. Miroku sucked all the snow up from the entrance and covered up his Wind Tunnel, "We should look for Inuyasha and Kagome" he said wrapping the prayer beads back around his hand and picking up his staff, "Yes, I hope they're okay that was a bad storm" Sango said walking out of the entrance and looking out at the long view of snow covered forest. "Lady Sango I a sure you that they are okay, Inuyasha would never let anything happen to Kagome and I am quite sure the same goes for Kagome, she would never let anyone hurt Inuyasha"

Sango nodded wrapping the pink scarf that Kagome had given her as a gift around her more snuggly, a month ago when she had returned after repairing her weapons Miroku had told her of what had happened. He said he had found Kagome and Inuyasha in an abandoned hut kissing, but he seemed to be holding something else back to the story. Since when did that pervert gain a sense of modesty and not say what it was, not that she wanted to know, it wasn't any of her business of what Kagome and Inuyasha did. But who would have thought that so much would happen after she left to repair her weapons, not like it had not happened before. The whole Tokenyo incident happened when she had left once to do just that, repair her weapons. Miroku walked over to her as Kirara jump off her shoulder and walked over to Shippo, "When do you think those two will open up to each other?" Miroku asked to know one in particular looking out into the snow.

Shippo gave them a look while tying the blue ribbon back into his hair _They talk about how stubborn Inuyasha and Kagome are, they're just as bad! If Miroku would keep his hands to himself Sango might not get so mad at him all the time_ "Maybe they did the last time a blizzard like this it, the one you told me about" Sango said, "I don't think so, I haven't seen any odd behavior between them other then the normal, but Inuyasha has been a bit more…odd around Kagome since then" Miroku said, odd being how Inuyasha's face turned red when ever Kagome walked over to him. Sango sighed and was about to walkout of the cave when she felt a familiar hand on her backside, she tightened her hand into a fist grabbed her boomerang and smacked him with it. Dazed the monk went spinning around with one side of his face completely red before falling to the floor his guilty hand twitching, "Moron" Shippo muttered, Kirara mewed in agreement.

They finally packed and left the cave with Sango ahead of them in a more then pleasant mood _That dirty mined PERVERT! When will he ever keep his hands to himself?_ Sango fumed stomping at a fast pace passed the numerous trees in the forest, normally Miroku behaved better when Shippo was around, that just proved that either the monk was getting worst with his dirty mind or that his memory was slipping and he forgot that the little fox demon was there. Behind her the still red faced monk and Shippo and Kirara walked, "Miroku you could spar yourself a lot of pain if you just keep your hand away from her, there are other ways to gain Sango's attention" Shippo said, Miroku just sighed and continued walking the rings on his staff jingling as he walked.

**Back to Inuyasha and Kagome**

Kagome screamed as Inuyasha leaped from the tall tree and landed on the ground, when Inuyasha ran so widely it always gave her a rush. "Am I going to fast?" Inuyasha called jumping up to the branch of another tree and hop along the branches of other trees, "No, go faster!" Kagome said loving how the wind wiped at her face and blowing her raven hair out in back of her, she felt the wind blow harder as Inuyasha increased his speed. He loved running like this, running as fast as he could even when his legs started burning. To run a top speed for no other reason but for the heck of it, it made him feel wild, he got to a point were there were no branches to jump to and leaped from the tree to the ground feeling his hair being grabbed by the wind and blowing passed his ears. He heard Kagome scream the whole way down before he landed hard on his feet, his leg muscles coiled before he took off again hearing Kagome squeal and laugh in mirth. Now he had another reason for liking to run this fast, Kagome was enjoying it too.

"I think I see the hut!" Kagome called, Inuyasha looked up and saw a clearing covered in untouched snow with a pile of splintered wood close to were the trees started again, "Looks like it" Inuyasha said running faster until he got into the clearing and had to pound on his heels to stop, Kagome got off and looked around. "I don't think the others have been here yet" Kagome said walking to the pile of broken wood. "Damn what a mess" Inuyasha said walking over to the wreck as well, "How are we going to find my back pack in this mess?" she asked. She heard Inuyasha sniff at the air and looked at him puzzled as he walked into the large pile of broken wood, he continued sniffing and walking around until he came to a spot and stopped. He dug his hand into the wood and pulled out her bag, it was lucky that in the collapse of the hut that it didn't have a huge tear in it or was blown away in the tornado. He handed it over to Kagome who placed it on the ground next to her, sighing both fell on the ground.

Now that he had stopped running his legs felt like that jell-o stuff Kagome gave him once for dessert, he heard Kagome moving around. He looked over at her, Kagome was moving her arms and legs around he looked at her puzzled. "Kagome what are you doing?" Inuyasha asked "Making a snow angel" she said giggling and carefully getting up getting off the ground to look at her work. "Why don't you try it Inuyasha?" Kagome said, Inuyasha made a face "It's stupid" he said flatly. "Come on its fun!" Kagome said, Inuyasha sighed he knew that she wasn't going to leave it alone and plus he was curious about angels made of snow. He copied the movements he saw Kagome do and then Kagome helped him up and he looked at the ground, two angel like shapes were on the ground in the snow. Inuyasha heard Kagome giggle "What's so funny?" he asked and she pointed to his snow angel. "Your snow angel, it has dog ears!" she said thinking it was the cutest think she had ever seen, Inuyasha looked at his snow angel and sure enough there was a set of ears on the top of its head right were his own were on his head.

He felt Kagome take his hand in hers and lay her head on his shoulder, "My dog angel" Kagome said smiling. Inuyasha couldn't help but smile himself and lay his head on her own _Your dog angel huh? You're my angel too_ he thought to himself, his angel? Yes Kagome was his angel, the first person to ever look at him like he was normal and not care what he was, to not show a bit of fear near him, to walk proudly next to him when they entered a village and heard all the comments and glares that came from the Hanyou hating villagers. Yes Kagome was his angel, and he was hers.

**Back to Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Shippo**

"I still can't believe Kagura attacked us out of know where like that" Shippo said jumping in and out of the foot prints made by his friends feet, "Yes it was indeed unexpected Shippo, let us hope she does not attack us while we are separated" Miroku said who was now walking at Sango's side and keeping his wandering hand away from Sango, the fox child agreed he did not want to see the wind sorceress for a good long while. "I think its safe to say that the answer to Naraku's threat is no" Sango said, Shippo looked at the ground, Miroku looked at his cursed hand and Sango glared long at the ground as if recalling a painful memory before all of them nodded in agreement. A soft meow from Kirara shocked them out of there thoughts, the two tailed cat demon ran off ahead of them. "Kirara where are you going?" Sango called to her but got only a meow in return, "Let us follow her" Miroku said, everyone nodded and began hurryingly running through the snow.

The group came to a clearing and saw the broken wood piled on the ground, "It's the hut we were staying it!" Shippo said. Miroku and Shippo suddenly heard Sango gasp and both turned to her, she had a red blush spreading on her face and was looking a little ways from were the wrecked hut was. When they looked to were the demon slayer was looking their faces took on looks of surprise. Kagome and Inuyasha were standing there in the snow; Kagome was holding Inuyasha's hand and had her hand on his shoulder. Inuyasha had his head on hers, they both seemed un aware to everything around them other then each other. "Well now, its seems a little more then the normal happened for out missing group members" Miroku said hinting at something more then the innocent, Sango glared at him and Shippo gave him a dull look. "Miroku get you damn mind out of the dirt!" came a far off voice, they looked to see Inuyasha glaring at them and was now standing with his arms crossed, his scowl clearly showed he was annoyed at the rude intrusion of his and Kagome's little moment, Kagome sported a blush.

"Why I was thinking nothing of the sort Inuyasha" Miroku said smiling his usual smile, "The hell you weren't" Inuyasha growled picking up Kagome's bag "Why Inuyasha! I'm shocked you would think I would ever think such a thing" Miroku said. "Miroku give it up" Shippo said running over to Kagome and leaping into her arms, Miroku let out a sigh. "So how did it go? Were you and Inuyasha able to find shelter?" Sango asked coming over to talk to Kagome, "Everything went fine, we found a dojo we were able to stay in until the storm ended" Kagome said, she knew Inuyasha wouldn't want her to say anything about him nearly dieing from Hypothermia and being in pain from his wounds and the fact that it was his human night. "Lucky you, we had to stay in a cave. We almost got caught in the storm" Shippo said curling into a ball and burying himself closer to Kagome, "I hated it; the cave had a bunch of boar demons living in it. They attacked us and we slayed them, we had boar demon for dinner, but it stunk in that cave" Shippo said.

Meanwhile Miroku was having a talk with Inuyasha, in other words he was trying to get the dirt of whether or not anything happened the other night. "Miroku you damn pervert, why don't you find something better to do other then terrorize women and ask others about their romance life!" Inuyasha growled dropping the bag on the ground and clearing a spot on the ground of snow, "Come now Inuyasha, surely you and Kagome had some fun" Miroku said clearly pushing his luck, Inuyasha walked over to the pile off wood that use to be the hut and turned around to face Miroku, an angry gleam in his eyes "Shut Up" was all he said enough to get the point across to the monk to drop the subject. Inuyasha piled up the wood in the cleared spot on the ground while the others piled wood around it so they didn't have to sit in the snow; Kagome lit a fire with one of her matches and got a fire going for cooking.

Kagome got the ramen out of her bag out of her bag, and then Inuyasha dug out a bag of the garlic potato chips from her bag and began eating the whole bag. "Inuyasha you'll spoil your appetite" Kagome said, "Since when does anything spoil my appetite?" he said still eating the chips, Kagome sighed knowing he was right, since when did ANYTHING spoil his appetite for ramen? "I hate it when you eat those things, your breath stinks!" Shippo said looking at the Hanyou from the corner of his eye and sitting cross legged on the ground with his arms crossed, he squealed when Inuyasha jammed the now empty bag on his head. Inuyasha laughed as he watched the poor fox child run around blind with the potato chip bag on his head, Kagome looked up from her cooking.

"Inuyasha" she said in a treating tone

Inuyasha eyes widened in panic "No! Kagome wait!"

"SIT!"

WHAM

 _Why does she do this to me?_


	5. Tying up Lose Ends and Beginnings a New

Inuyasha glanced around the forest and leaned against the bark of the god tree, it was spring now and the god tree was now covered in thousands of pink blossoms. Kagome had left the other day saying that she had some project she had to do for school; it was odd how she could get so stressed out with that school thing and tests and clearly hated it. It didn't make sense to keep going back then did it? Inuyasha shook his head; maybe it was one of those girl things that as a guy he would never understand. He was just glad that winter was finally over; the season had been one for events for the Hanyou. Along with the random fights with demons the group managed to collect three jewel shards, there were two life or death events that had been good for his and Kagome's relationship aside from getting both worried for the others well being. A few months ago a blizzard hit and got the group separated and it almost got Kagome killed, Inuyasha was able to save her and reunited with Miroku and Shippo as Sango and Kirara were at the slayers village fixing her weapons.

A month after that another storm hit but with more nearly disastrous results, Kagura had attacked them splitting up the group and leaving Inuyasha badly injured on the night of the new moon. To make matters worst of the situation a blizzard worst then the one that hit a month ago began blowing, Inuyasha with his injures and his demon blood disappearing due to the new moon could not stand up to the harsh weather and collapsed. He had awoke to find that Kagome had gotten them to shelter and had saved him from what could have been his death, on the day after the blizzard and Inuyasha's condition was better he and Kagome had confessed to one another their feelings. That was the only good thing that had happened that he was happy about, he just wished that his and Kagome's first moment together concerning blizzards had not included her almost dieing of that Hypothermia sickness.

_What time did Kagome say she was going to be back again?_ Inuyasha wondered looking up at the sky, he hated Kagome going back home more then ever now since they had confessed to one another. It wasn't his fault it was a dog demon thing, no even if it wasn't his dog demon instincts kicking and telling him that in her time that she could get hurt he would still be worried. The Noh Mask incident and that time with the ghost of that girl was evidence enough that even with very few demons in her era she could still get hurt or even killed, and he said few demons because of that Noh Mask wanting her jewel shards. He would be damned if he let anyone or anything hurt his Kagome, Inuyasha leaned over to look at the well in the distance as a light breeze picked up. As he caught a whiff of the wind he froze at what he smelled, he clinched his hands into fists and jumped out off the tree and took of in the direction of the scent.

**Kagome's Time**

_Ramen for Inuyasha, candy for Shippo, medical supplies, my homework and text books, cloths, bathing supplies, the bottle of shards . Am I missing anything?_ Kagome packed her things into her back pack trying to think what it was that she could have forgotten, she yanked the back onto her back and almost fell over from the weight but gained her balance. "Mom, Souta, Grampa I'm leaving now!" Kagome called heading to the door, "Kagome" her mother called from the living room. "What is it mom?" Kagome called back running to the living room. She got to the living room and saw her mother holding her bow and quiver full of arrows, "You wouldn't want to forget these" Ms. Higurashi said handing her daughter the bow and quiver, "I knew I forgot something! I can't believe I almost left these behind thanks mom" Kagome gave her mother a quick hug before she was out the door running to the old well house. She opened the doors and jumped into the well, a familiar blue light surrounded her as she was sent 500 years into the past.

She landed softly on the bottom of the well and looked up to see the blue sky, after a few second she wondered where Inuyasha was. Normally he would wait at the well in a tree or sit by the well until she returned, by now he would have appeared and help her out of the well and walk with her to the village. She grabbed the vines that were growing on the walls of the well and climbed up trying not to fall due to the weight of her bag, she finally got to the top and shoved the bag out of the well and swung her leg over the edge of the well and sat down on the cool grass catching her breath. _Where is Inuyasha? Did he forget that today I was coming back? No way would he forget that…_ she stood up deciding not to lug the heavy pack with her and headed out to see where Inuyasha had gone, she had only gone a little past the god tree before she heard voices, one of them being Inuyasha's. Quietly she walked to were she heard the voices and saw a small clearing ahead were the voices were coming, she saw Inuyasha standing in the middle of the clearing and was talking to someone, she moved to see who it was and her heart stopped.

_K…Kikyo? Why is she here? And why is Inuyasha with her?_ Kagome's heart thundered in her chest as she looked on at the pair in the clearing, Kikyo standing in her white and red miko robes with her bow strung on her shoulder and quiver strapped on her back, her soul catchers gliding around in the air in eerie silent. Inuyasha stood with his back facing her, his arms crossed and his silver white hair moving in the breeze. Kagome moved closer hoping Inuyasha wouldn't smell her as she hide behind a tree as close to them as she could get, "Inuyasha, are you ready to come with me?" Kagome heard Kikyo say as she got to the tree. "No" Inuyasha said sternly stepping away as Kikyo took a step towards him, "Inuyasha you made a promise" Kikyo said sounding forceful. "I made a promise to Kikyo not you" Inuyasha said still in the same stern voice, "What are you talking about, I'm Kikyo" Kikyo said sounding angry.

"No your not, at least not the Kikyo I knew!" Inuyasha nearly yelled. "The Kikyo I knew was not the hatful thing you are, she may not have loved me but she was someone I could relate to" Inuyasha said, "I do love you!" Kikyo yelled, "No you don't! If you did love me you would have accepted me for who I am and what I am, not try and make me change! You would want me to be happy... You tried to kill Kagome once knowing how I felt about her, you tried to kill her since she was in your way to me! If you really love me then show it by leaving me and Kagome alone!" Inuyasha said and turned to leave, Kagome was about to start running to not be caught but seeing Kikyo raise an arrow to her bow made her quickly draw her own. Just as Kikyo shot her arrow Kagome shot her own seeing Inuyasha's shocked expression as her arrow flew passed him and hit Kikyo's arrow, the clearing was surrounded in pink miko energy as Kagome's arrow cut right through Kikyo's arrow and pierce Kikyo's shoulder.

As Kikyo clutched her injured shoulder Inuyasha who now saw that Kagome was there ran over to protect her incase Kikyo attacked again, "Kagome why are you here?" Inuyasha asked sounding worried, "You didn't meet me at the well so I…" before Kagome could finish she threw herself to the ground taking Inuyasha with her as another arrow flew passed them hitting a tree. "Saving me a lot lately haven't you Kagome?" Inuyasha said sounding playful but at the same time serious due to the current situation they were in, Inuyasha stood and grabbed the hilt of Tetsusaiga but did not remove it from its sheath as Kagome readied another arrow. "You dare to threaten me!" Kikyo yelled letting fly another arrow, Inuyasha dodged the arrow and charged at her. Her soul collectors began pushing him back as he began slicing through them, Kagome grabbed another arrow as Inuyasha cut through the last of the soul collectors and stood looking Kikyo firmly in the eye "Kikyo leave, don't make me have to attack you. If you keep trying to hurt Kagome or me then I will attack you" Inuyasha said drawing his sword in front of him showing that his threat was real.

"Is that so?" Kikyo said taking a few steps toward Kagome and Inuyasha, the Hanyou stood in front of her blocking Kagome from any attack Kikyo might throw. "Inuyasha" Kikyo said looking in the eye "Is this what you have finally chosen?" she asked surprising the Hanyou and the human girl he was shielding from harm, Inuyasha just nodded his head. Kikyo gave one of her ghostly smiles as new soul collectors appeared from the trees "Then what I set out to accomplish is done" she said turning around, "Kikyo" Inuyasha called sheathing his sword and taking a few steps towards her. "What did you mean by that?" he asked, Kikyo turned around and looked at him. "Remember when I told you that when used by some one with good influence the jewel will be pure, but when used by some one with dark influence the jewel becomes tainted" Kikyo asked, Inuyasha nodded. "All those years ago when I asked you to use the jewel to become human, I did not realize before until I was resurrected that using the jewel to do that would have killed us" Kikyo said.

"Killed us?" Inuyasha said as Kagome's eyes widened in shock Kikyo nodded, "Inuyasha back then I did love you, but not as a Hanyou. Forcing a loved one to change is not a pure wish but a selfish and tainted one, because of my tainted feelings of wanting you to be human the jewel would have destroyed us both" Kikyo said holding out her hands. "Inuyasha, as a half demon you are hated and hunted because of your mixed blood. Because of what I have become now I have more then an idea of what you went through, I'm seen as something to remove from this world. On more then one occasion has a monk tried put me to rest, but my driven hatred for you was what kept me going on" Kikyo withdrew her hands and placed them to her chest, she closed her eyes "In a way I see it as a punishment for my selfish act"

"Inuyasha back then we thought that the other betrayed the other, but it was Naraku using our distrust for each other to try to get to me and the jewel. In these times I am the one who betrayed you on more then once" Kikyo looked at Kagome and smiled, not one of her ghostly smiles a real one "As you said I attacked Kagome commanding my soul collectors to drop her into the miasma, I in my arrogant gave Naraku the shards of the jewel I held, in doing that not only did I betray you but I betrayed what I was sworn to do in life which was keep the jewel out of the hands of demons. With the shards he got from me he unleashed new minions for you to face and further complicate your quest, it is also my fault Naraku has that new body and even more power" Kikyo's eyes suddenly went soft "Inuyasha in making you make that promise to me I have yet again been unfair to you, I have made you keep yourself from living your life, your new life" Kikyo looked at Inuyasha, "I have kept you from Kagome and had you make a promise to a Kikyo who no loner exists in this world by normal purposes, what I meant when I said I have accomplish what I set out to do, I had accomplish making sure that Kagome's love was true and that your love was strong. Judging by how you acted when I attacked and that you would have actually attack me, it is obvious that there is nothing tainted in your love like it was in ours"

Kikyo once again turned to Kagome "Kagome could you please come here" she asked, Kagome who had felt it rude to interrupt and was already feeling like she should leave to give them privacy, was now surprised at the dead miko addressing her asking her to come forward. She looked at Inuyasha who had also turned to her before she slowly walked over to the miko, "Kagome you have proven yourself more then fit to be with Inuyasha and to be the new guardian of the Shikon Jewel, you stayed with him after everything that has happened, you saved me from the Priestess Eater despite how I once tried to kill you and make things more difficult for you" Kikyo reached into her robes and pulled out a white ribbon and began tying it in Kagome's hair, "Kagome you love Inuyasha for what he is and healed the wounds of his past, don't make the same mistake I made Kagome" Kikyo whispered. Kagome felt the ribbon in her hair that kept her hair in a pony tail and nodded "I never will, you can trust me on that" she said and Kikyo nodded "Inuyasha, you are free of your promise to me. Be happy with Kagome at your side" with that she started to walk off into the woods before Kagome called out.

"Kikyo!"

The dead miko turned around to look at the girl of the future once more "You can visit us in the village if you like, anytime you want" Kagome said smiling, Kikyo returned her smile "Allowing your lovers old love to visit, you have a lot of trust in others despite everything" Kikyo said and then left her soul collectors gliding along beside her. Kagome heard Inuyasha walk up to her and felt him wrap his arms around her. "You always did have a lot of trust in people Kagome" he said holding her close and nuzzling her hair, Kagome smiled "The village was the only place she ever really could call home, why not allow her to visit or maybe even live there if she wants. Her sister lives there too she might want to visit to see Kaede too" Kagome said holding Inuyasha hand, "We should get back, the others will be wondering what's taking us" Inuyasha said and Kagome nodded "Yah we don't want a repeat of last week" Kagome said giggling as Inuyasha blushed "I still want to kill Shippo for taking that picture with your camera that day" Inuyasha said, "Inuyasha it wasn't that bad was it?" Kagome asked giggling at the look on his face "He caught us while you were petting my ears and my foot was kicking" Inuyasha said with an angry pout on his face.

"Don't worry Inuyasha, I took the picture from him before he could show the others and burned it in the fire pit in Kaede's hut. Your tough guy image is still safe" she said walking in the direction of the well, she heard him mutter something under his breath that sounded similar to "feh" before she heard him start walking. She nearly screamed when she felt Inuyasha pick her up and began running towards the well. "Inuyasha!" Kagome laughed holding on tightly to his fire rat robe, "Come on before the others show up" Inuyasha said in a playful tone "Inuyasha you and your pride!" she said back in the same playful tone. As they sped off to the to collect Kagome's bag then head to the village, a new future was in their path a new beginning in their lives with the other beside them.


End file.
